Generally, the present invention relates to the protection of houses against the intrusion of any type of unwanted fluids, but the invention is especially developed in connection with the radon protection of the basement wall of houses having a basement.
Radon gas from the ground will, when the concentration is high, penetrate into the building structure and may according to the concentration constitute a health danger.
It is presumed that the alpha radiation which is present in this connection, represents the second largest reason for lung cancer compared with tobacco smoking.
The applicant has for several years developed a system for solving the problem of humidity/smell in houses without basement, and has arrived at a ventilated floor system based on his product of a foundation wall protective membrane. The solution to this problem regarding smell/moisture has been successful, and in 1987 the applicant became involved in the development of radon protection, based on very much of the same thoughts as supporting the previous work and including mechanical ventilation of floors in houses without basements.
The work is now completed, and the results have proven positive. In the present solution it is possible to reduce the contents of radon in the house far below the suggested limiting values.
The above mentioned radon protection is made for houses without basements. However, in Norway in which the building tradition involves mainly houses with basement, such a solution will not be satisfactory, since the basement walls may here be up to 2 m high, and are provided below the ground.